This is the report of the results of an investigation to determine how many languages of the Arabic family a resource would need to be in to cover 90% of the people.

Procedures

This turned out to be a somewhat complex exercise, due to the number of languages, the broad geography involved, and the variation of naming of the same language varieties by different speakers. The analysis given here follows the standard naming conventions in the Ethnologue, 13th Edition (1996) [the current edition at the time of the research. OBJ], electronic version, published by SIL International, the world authority on world languages.

The basis of the investigation was the listings of all Arabic languages
in the Ethnologue, which analyzed and compared. The figures given
for each language indicate mother-tongue speakers. In some cases additional
information is provided on use as a second language by non-native speakers.

This reports the results of the analysis of the Ethnologue listings
for the languages, giving the percentage rankings by region. For reference,
a summary of each language in the top ranking is given, with information
on dialects and where they are spoken. This information is edited from
all the country entries and annotated for clarification.

Percentages are rounded. Charts give the languages with the most speakers
to the least, until the total passes 90% in each list.

Peoples

Note that this report does not analyze the people groups speaking these
languages, only the total population of speakers of each language. Some
population notes are included in the Ethnologue summaries for each
language, but most of these notes are geographical.

Exclusions

Though all languages of the Arabic family were analyzed, there are some
exclusions from the percentage figures in the final analysis reported here.
Two major languages, spoken in Sudan, Chad and neighbouring countries,
were excluded from this analysis. Some minor languages, with less than
10,000 speakers, and in one case 70,000, were also excluded, some of which
are in Asia. These are peripheral and declining languages of bilingual,
and in some cases displaced, peoples.

Anomalies

One additional factor skews the result slightly, but not significantly.
Some of the languages show speakers in the Americas. In most cases this
is not statistically significant. One is of note, however. There are 1,000,000
mother-tongue speakers of North Levantine Spoken Arabic in Argentina.

Due to complexity of the analysis, this and a couple of similar (though
much smaller) cases, were not deducted from the total population before
figuring the percentage ranking. This does change the percentage ranking,
and does not affect the number of languages needed in any list to reach
90%. Even this number is only ½ percent of the total of speakers
in the languages listed.

Languages of the Horn, other than Sudanese Arabic, are included, since
they are listed as the major languages of the Arabian Peninsula. These
were not extracted due to the complexity of such listings, the low population
in African countries and the time factor.

Listings include the countries where each language is spoken, and its
major alternative names. In some cases the same language is known by different
names indifferent countries or peoples.

Format

The results of this investigation are reported here by language name
as given in the Ethnologue. Following this are the descriptions
of the languages in the listings. [The descriptions given here are from the 13th Edition (1996) of the Ethnologue, the current edition at the time of the research. OBJ]

SPEAKERS OF ARABIC LANGUAGES

Total speakers of Arabic
languages in Middle East and Arabian Peninsula

78,155,000

Total speakers of Arabic languages in Northern
Africa

119,580,000

Total speakers of Arabic
languages in Northern Africa, Middle East and Arabian Peninsula

197,735,000

Coverage for Arabic Languages in the Middle
East/Arabian Peninsula (ME)

Ranking in ME

Language

Number of Speakers

% of

Middle East

% of NAME

% Covered

1

Mesopotamian Spoken

15,100,000

19.3

7.6

2

North Levantine Spoken

15,000,000

19.2

7.6

3

Najdi Spoken

9,700,000

12.4

4.9

4

Sanaani Spoken

7,600,000

9.7

3.8

5

Taizzi-Adeni

6,840,000

8.8

3.5

6

North Mesopotamian Spoken

6,300,000

8.1

3.2

7

South Levantine Spoken

6,155,000

7.9

3.1

85.4

8

Hijazi Spoken

6,000,000

7.7

3.0

93.1

Coverage for Arabic Languages in Northern
Africa (NA)

Ranking in NA

Language

Number of Speakers

% of

Northern Africa

% of NAME

% Covered

1

Egyptian Spoken

42,500,000

35.5

21.5

2

Algerian Spoken

22,400,000

18.7

11.3

3

Moroccan Spoken

19,542,000

16.3

9.9

4

Saidi Spoken

18,900,000

15.8

9.6

86.3

5

Tunisian Spoken

9,308,000

7.8

4.7

94.1

Coverage for Arabic Languages in Northern
Africa and the Middle East (NAME)

Ranking in NAME

Language

Number of Speakers

% of NAME

% Covered

1

Egyptian Spoken

42,500,000

21.5

2

Algerian Spoken

22,400,000

11.3

3

Moroccan Spoken

19,542,000

9.9

4

Saidi Spoken

18,900,000

9.6

5

North Levantine Spoken

15,000,000

7.6

6

Mesopotamian Spoken

15,100,000

7.6

7

Najdi Spoken

9,700,000

4.9

8

Tunisian Spoken

9,308,000

4.7

9

Sanaani Spoken

7,600,000

3.8

10

Taizzi-Adeni

6,840,000

3.5

11

North Mesopotamian Spoken

6,300,000

3.2

12

South Levantine Spoken

6,155,000

3.1

90.7

Summary Comments

Hijazi Spoken Arabic is the only language in a sub-list that
does not also occur on the NAME list.

Note that none of the Bedawi (Bedouin) Arabic Languages are included
in these top population figures. Some Bedouin tribes, however, speak several
of the major languages as a mother tongue or second language. The Ethnologue
entries note this in some cases. For example, 8% of the mother tongue
speakers of North Levantine Spoken Arabic are Bedouins. Tribal breakdowns
or locations are not given in the Ethnologue summaries.

It is also notable that Libyan Arabic, and its associated dialects (including
Northwest Egyptian Bedawi) does not have sufficient speakers to rank in
the top group, having a total of 4.5 million speakers.

1. EGYPTIAN SPOKENARABIC, EGYPTIAN SPOKEN (LOWER EGYPT ARABIC, NORMAL EGYPTIAN
ARABIC) [ARZ]
40,600,000 in Egypt (1996); 1,000,000 in Libya (1991);
450,000 in Iraq (1995); 100,000 or more in United Arab Emirates (1991);
10,000 or fewer in Yemen (1995); 10,000 in Jordan (1991); 20,000 in Kuwait
(1995); 25,000 in Israel (1994); 300,000 in Saudi Arabia (1991); 42,500,000
in all countries. Afro-Asiatic, Semitic,
Central, South, Arabic.
Dialects: NORTH DELTA ARABIC, SOUTH CENTRAL DELTA ARABIC, CAIRENE
ARABIC.
The media have established a normal Egyptian Spoken Arabic based
on Cairo speech. Cairene is the most widely understood dialect
used for non-print media, both in Egypt and throughout the sedentary
Arab world.
It is an amalgam of Delta Arabic and Middle Egypt Arabic, with borrowings
from literary Arabic. Used on television, radio talk shows, and for political
speeches.
National language. Muslim. Braille Bible portions. NT 1932, out of
print. Bible portions 1905-1991. Survey needed.

Comment:Egyptian Spoken Arabic has the largest single population, over 20%
of the total. It also has the largest geographical distribution with about
2 million native speakers in other countries of NAME (1 million of those
in Libya). It is also (from other sources) the most widely used inter-language
and especially dominates radio, television and video distributed across
the region. Note that Cairene speech is the most widely used for
non-print media.

4. SA<IDI SPOKENARABIC, SA<IDI SPOKEN (SA<IDI, UPPER EGYPT ARABIC) [AEC]
18,900,000 (1996). Southern Egypt from the edge of Cairo
to the Sudan border.
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central,
South, Arabic.
Dialects: MIDDLE EGYPT ARABIC, UPPER EGYPT ARABIC.
The Middle Egypt dialect is in Bani Sweef, Fayyuum, and Gizeh.
Upper Egypt dialect is from Asyuut to Edfu and south. Some might
be in Libya or the Gulf.
Similar to Sudanese Arabic, especially in the south, but heavily influenced
by Cairene Arabic. Speakers prefer Cairene over Sudanese. Speakers
of Cairene do not understand Sa<idi, but speakers of Sa<idi understand
Cairene, and some use it as second language. Survey needed.

Comment:The fact that Sa`idi speaekrs understand Cairene strengthens the
position of Cairene, and might indicate adequacy of Cairene for initial
awareness contact for Sa`idi speakers, though not likely for decision level
of targeting.

Comment:It appears the Beirut dialect would be the most productive
for acceptable communication with the broadest geographical range of this
language. Note that the 1 million in Argentina will make a slight difference
in the totals and percentages. I have not tried to adjust for the few anomalies
of geography like this.

11. NORTH MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKENARABIC, NORTH MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN (SYRO-MESOPOTAMIAN VERNACULAR
ARABIC, MOSLAWI, MESOPOTAMIAN QELTU ARABIC) [AYP]
5,400,000 in Iraq; 200,000 in Jordan; 300,000 in Syria; 400,000
in Turkey; 6,300,000 in all countries (1996). Afro-Asiatic,
Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Iraq: Along most of the Tigris and part of the Euphrates
valleys north of Baghdad. Muslim, Christian. Survey needed.
Syria: Far eastern Syria. Muslim, Christian. Survey needed.
Turkey: Mardin and Siirt provinces. In Turkey men are quite
bilingual in Turkish. They do not read Arabic. Agriculturalists, small
shops and businesses. Muslim, Christian. Survey needed.
Jordan: No details. It is not even in the Jordan Ethnologue
listing, but numbers for Jordan are given in other country listings.

12. SOUTH LEVANTINE SPOKENARABIC, SOUTH LEVANTINE SPOKEN (LEVANTINE ARABIC, SOUTH LEVANTINE
ARABIC, PALESTINIAN-JORDANIAN ARABIC) [AJP]
3,500,000 in Jordan (1996); 1,600,000 in Palestinian West Bank
and Gaza (1996); 910,000 in Israel (1996); 85,000 in Kuwait (1991); 50,000
or fewer in Egypt; 6,155,000 in all countries.
Also in Syria [no details], Argentina. Afro-Asiatic,
Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Dialects: MADANI, FELLAHI.
There are differences from village to village of which speakers are
aware. There is a newly emerging urban standard dialect based on Amman.
Used on television, radio talk shows and drama.Muslim, Christian. Bible portions 1940-1973. Survey needed.